Tonsil stones, also known as tonsilloliths, are small, off-white deposits that you can see in the craters of your tonsils. They are usually caused when bits of food get lodged in these craters; bacteria start feeding on them, digesting them until they turn into the foul-smelling gunk we know and hate. Tonsil stones are not uncommon for people with deep tonsil craters. Although they are regularly dislodged during coughing and eating, and medical or home intervention is often unnecessary, there are several methods for removing these deposits, along with several at home remedies and tools (check Amazon.com) that may help.

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Steps

Method 1 of 4: Bobby-Pin or Q-Tip

1

Make sure you have all of your materials present. Because the basic techniques of tonsil stone removal with both bobby-pins and Q-Tips are the same, this article will use the two interchangeably. (The one difference between bobby-pins and Q-Tips is that you use a hooking motion with bobby-pins and a scraping motion with Q-Tips.) Materials will include:

New or sterilized bobby-pins; or new Q-Tips (wash your hands and the bobby pin you will be using thoroughly; if using a Q-tip, wet the end of it with water––this makes using it more comfortable)

A mirror

Flashlight or light source

Paper towel

Water

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2

Open your mouth and shine the light into your mouth. Do this in front of a mirror so that you can locate the tonsil stones.

3

Close off, or flex, your throat muscles while sticking out your tongue. Basically, go "Ahh," and tighten the muscles in the back of your throat. Do this while holding your breath, almost as if you were gargling water. This should push your tonsils forward so you can see them better.

4

Gently scoop out tonsil stones with your bobby-pin. Use the looped end of your extra-long bobby-pin to scoop out any tonsil stones you can easily see at the opening of your tonsil craters.

Be very gentle, as bleeding may occur. Although a little bit of bleeding is normal, try as much as you can to minimize the bleeding.[1] Cuts and wounds can get infected by the same bacteria in your mouth that cause tonsil stones.

Tonsil stones can sometimes be hard to get out because of the stickier-than-normal saliva that forms soon after you start sticking implements into the back of your throat. Keep (gently) trying until you catch the stone in the loop of your bobby-pin, and then scooting it to the front of your mouth.

5

As sticky saliva starts forming, drink water to thin in out. Sticky saliva will form very quickly after you gag or cough, and will linger even if you don't. It is very important to clear out this sticky saliva before you start extracting another tonsil stone, because it will make extraction more difficult.

6

Discard extracted tonsil stones on a clean surface, such as a paper towel. For example, gently drag the bobby-pin across the towel. Alternately, using a toothpick or another bobby-pin, scrape the tonsil stones onto the paper towel.

Take care to minimize cross-contamination. You want to minimize the contact your bobby-pins make with any germ-carrying surface, including your hands. Because you are sticking the bobby-pin back into your mouth, this step is especially important.

7

Check for any hidden stones. After you have extracted all the stones you can see, place your thumb into your neck under your jaw, and your (clean) index finger into your mouth right beside your tonsil and gently try to squeeze any remaining stones to the openings (like squeezing out toothpaste). If no stones appear, don't assume they aren't there. Some craters are very deep and it is sometimes hard to get them all.

If your throat can still tolerate more, very carefully insert the loop of the bobby-pin down into the crater until you hit the bottom of it. Do not shove the bobby-pin into the crater. It is sometimes difficult to feel when you have hit the bottom of the crater. Normally, the loop will not go any deeper without you feeling pain when you have hit the bottom.

Using a scooping motion (like trying to get that last bit of jelly out of the jar) gently pull the remaining stones out.

One attempt should sweep most of them out depending on how wide your craters are, but make sure you don't scrape your tonsils. This can be painful.

8

Repeat steps for each of your craters until they are empty. Take care not to damage any tissue in your mouth. Lacerations can be painful and become infected.

Method 2 of 4: Oral Irrigator

1

Use an oral irrigator such as a water-pick. Water-picks used to clean the lacerations caused by the removal of wisdom teeth work best here. They are more sensitive than regular water-picks and shoot less-pressurized streams.

Regular water-picks or oral irrigators can be used, but with caution. Only use on the lowest setting at first. If the stream of water seems painful on the tonsils, skip this method entirely or find an irrigation system that doesn't cause pain.

It is possible to rupture or puncture your tonsil if the setting on the irrigation system is too strong. Again, this could result in infection, and probably more of a hassle than tonsil stones were in the first place.

2

Open your mouth, place the irrigator inside the mouth but not touching the stone, and switch on the oral irrigator on the lowest setting. Try directing the stream of water onto one visible tonsil stone, keeping it steady until the stone has been dislodged.

3

Steadily but gently aim the irrigator at different stones. If the irrigator itself does not dislodge the stones, try going in with a sterilized bobby-pin and/or a Q-Tip and gently hooking or scraping the stones from the craters. See above method for more detailed instructions on how to use a bobby-pin or Q-Tip to dislodge tonsil stones.

4

Repeat steps for each visible tonsil stone. Remember to be gentle as you pic the stones away with the water.

Method 3 of 4: Gargling

1

Gargle with mouthwash after eating. Since tonsil stones often form after leftover food gets stuck in tonsil craters, it's prudent to gargle with mouthwash after eating. Not only will mouthwash improve the health of your teeth and gums, it will also help dislodge tiny bits of food before they become a meal for tonsil stone-creating bacteria.

2

Gargle with warm water and salt. Mix one teaspoon of salt along with six ounces of water, stirring until incorporated. Gargle the salt water with your head tilted back. Salt water could dislodge bits of food from the crater while helping to soothe any discomfort caused by tonsillitis, which sometimes accompanies tonsil stones.[2]

Oxygenating mouthwashes are very strong, however, and therefore should only be used once or twice per week to avoid overuse.[3] Supplement your natural mouthwash regimen with oxygenating mouthwash.

Method 4 of 4: Medical Intervention

1

Consider a course of antibiotics for persistent or severe tonsil stones. Different antibiotics, such as penicillin or erythromycin, may be used to treat tonsil stones, but they fail to reverse the underlying cause of tonsil stones, which is food being caught in the tonsils.[2] There may be a relapse, and antibiotics may also have adverse side-effects. Most antibiotics kill off beneficial bacteria in the mouth and gut which would help do battle against the problem bacteria.

2

Consider medical options such as laser treatment to remove the tonsil stones. In addition, tissue that deep tonsil pockets are made of can be removed via laser. Laser resurfacing smooths out the surface of the tonsils so that they no longer have pockets and craters. This procedure is not without risks of its own, however.

3

Consider surgery to remove your tonsils entirely. Tonsillectomy is a relatively simple and effective procedure. The tonsils are intended to protect against infection. Studies, however, show that people without tonsils are not necessarily more susceptible to infections, making the tonsils effectively useless.[4] Of course, people without tonsils cannot get tonsilloliths.

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Tips

A common beauty tool called a blackhead remover with 2 ends is a better tool than a bobby pin. It is much longer than a bobby pin, has rounded ends so you don't scrape your skin, and is sturdier hence easier to manipulate.

Take a breath between each extraction. You basically cut off your airway when you tighten your throat muscles to push your tonsils forward.

Be sure to use a good quality bobby-pin to prevent any cheap coating from flaking off during the process. Also make sure the bobby-pin you use is the small variety, but extra long. It doesn't have to be extra long, but it makes things easier.

It might be easiest to use your hand opposite from the tonsil from which you are extracting stones. It provides a better angle, especially when getting deep into the craters.

A little stinging afterwards is common, but if it continues after about 36 hours, you may have cut yourself and need to see a doctor.

If you find yourself gagging like crazy, your throat starts getting red, or your tonsils start bleeding, stop for a few hours and give your throat time to recover. You're not going to get very far by continuing, and you may cause severe damage.

Ask somebody to help you, it makes it so much easier.

Sore throat pray anesthetic for sore throats on your tonsils to prevent gagging reflex. Spray anesthetic which can be bought without prescription.

Warnings

Everyone's tonsils are different. You may only have one deep crater and the others shallow, or many deep craters. The more deep craters you have, the more tonsil stones you may have, and the higher the risk of using this process when done all in one sitting. Please be careful.

This process could be considered risky, but for those who weigh the benefits against the risks, it may be worth the peace of mind knowing your tonsils are clean. Weigh the risks for YOU.